“Enrichment beyond the classroom”
Pupils make excellent progress, especially in their communication, reading, writing and number work.
NO DIG! - What's it all about?
"No dig increases output per area, and works on any soil type. You will notice fewer weeds too! I share my knowledge from over 40 years of practice, so that everyone can grow more food for less effort."
Charles Dowding
Is it that easy?
There are many benefits of not digging the soil:
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Carbon is stored in the soil, digging it releases carbon as carbon dioxide, which contributes to global warming.
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Weed seeds are in the soil, turning the soil exposes buried seeds to light, which enables them to grow
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The structure of soil is damaged when it is dug.
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Digging the ground also disrupts the ecosystem in the soil.
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Worms are nature’s diggers! They have been called ‘ecosystem engineers. One species of worm can live up to 10 years.
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It is less work!
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NOTE: PEOPLE DO THINK THAT NO DIG BEDS DON'T FORM AN EDGE THAT YOU NEED WITH CHILDREN OR YOUNG PEOPLE, HOWEVER IT CAN WORK PERFECTLY FINE WITHOUT A BOARDER
Soil needs to be fed with nutrients.
Sources are:
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Leaf mould
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Compost
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Manure
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Rainwater
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No dig combined with organic growing, optimises the symbiotic relationship between plants and soil, increasing the health of both. The ideal way to connect us to the soil through gardens.
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Chemical fertilizers short-circuit that relationship; the plant gets fed, but the soil does not benefit. Over time, use of fertilizers depletes soil health. Also run off from over-fertilized farmland can lead to nitrate build up in rivers.
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How to do it!
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First, cut down tall weed foliage to ground level.
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Lay sheets of light-excluding material (cardboard etc) so the ground is completely covered.
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Now put a deep layer of organic mulch.
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Tread it down firmly.
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Create pathways with straw or other organic matter
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TIP: If you want to plant up the bed straight away, wet the cardboard before adding the mulch on top.